Ayame’s Special Moves

Ayame has 10 special moves . One special move per mission can be unlocked by filling the Kuji-meter, through stealth kills. You can only unlock one particular move per mission, with the exception of the missions “Assassinate the Evil Tenrai – A and B”. You can learn the same move in those 2 missions.

Cling to Ceiling
Equip your Grappling Hook and aim it at a ceiling by pressing triangle. Hold R1 and release triangle, but don’t let go of R1. Your character will be pulled against the ceiling and hang there as long as you don’t release R1, but not longer than 18 seconds. After 15 seconds your controller will start vibrating, this indicates you have 3 more seconds until you will fall down. While you are clinging to a ceiling you can still use the following items : Decoy Whistle, Grenade, Poisoned Rice and Smoke Bomb. For example try dropping a Poison Rice, when an enemy approaches to pick it up drop down on him/her and press square to kill him/her.Unlock: Go to the Red House of Zennosuke

Feign Death
Turn the left analogue stick 360 degrees (one full circle) and press R1. Rikimaru and Ayame will hurt themselves with their weapon and drop to the floor loosing 15 health points at once and 1 more health point every second. Your health won’t drop beyond 1 though! Nearby enemies will come to investigate. When they are standing close to your head press square. Your character will jump up in a 360 degree turn and kill the enemy. If the enemy is not standing in the right postion you will miss him/her. You can practise this move best in Multiplayer Versus to find out where the enemy has to stand in order to perform a sucessful surprise attack. It is always good to stand with your back to the enemy you want to lure and then use the “Feign Death”. This way your head will be closest to the enemy which will make it more likely he/she will run towards you and stop next to your head.Unlock: Escape from Amagai Castle

Grappling Hook Combo
This is probably the most difficult to perform ability. Best practise it in Multiplayer Versus Mode first. In order to have it work you need a good timing. It is easiest to do when you position yourself face to face with your opponent (press R2 to adjust the camera if necessary). Turn the left analogue stick 360 degrees (try to make a perfect circle) and press square, quickly followed by triangle. If you press triangle too late the grappling hook will shoot out, but won’t cling to your opponent and pull him/her back, because he/she is already laying on the floor. Don’t be frustrated if it is not working at once, it takes some time to get a feeling for this move.Unlock: Retrieve the Yoto Swords

Ninja Mind Control
This move only works when fighting at least 2 enemies simultaneously. You can’t use it on bosses, only on common enemies.
Hold R2, then quickly push the left analogue stick forwards then backwards followed by square. Don’t release R2 during that button combination! If you did it right Rikimaru’s left arm will shoot forward and his fingers will touch the enemy. Nearly the same with Ayame, she just uses her right arm. The touched enemy will now temporarily fight on your side (approximately 5-10 seconds) and attack his friends. You can’t control this enemy, he/she will fight on him/herself until the “Ninja Mind Control” wears off. Don’t attack him/her during that time.
First practise the move without any enemies in sight. Once you are used to the button combination try it out in the early missions. I recommend for Rikimaru “Punish the Evil Merchant” and for Ayame “Execute the Evil Merchant”. The 3 guards partying in the house and guarding the key are weak and slow, and therefore your perfect training. Alert them, then run away so they follow you. Turn around and try the “Ninja Mind Control”. You will see it is pretty easy. Remember you can still block, even if you have R2 pressed. You can throw a smoke bomb to confuse them while you try the move.Unlock: Rescue Counsel Sekiya

Ninja Vision
Hold L1 and push the right analogue stick forward to zoom into your surroundings. Hold L1 and push the right analogue stick downwards to zoom out. Can be combined with using the left analogue stick to freely look around. Ninja Vision allows you to aim items more precisely and throw items farther, by zooming into your target.Unlock: Assassinate the Traitor Hamada

Ninjutsu Block
Press circle when an enemy tries to attack you. Ayame and Rikimaru will do a 360 degree turn and the yellow kuji-circle will appear on the screen. You can push the enemy off balance with the Ninjutsu Block and leave him open for a counter attack of yours. Best practise this move in the early stages, where the guards are weaker and slower than in the later missions. If you fail to block right in time, your enemies’ attack will go through unblocked.Unlock: Execute the Evil Merchant

Somersault Kick
Push the left analogue stick forward and press square 4 times then push the left analogue stick backwards and press square.
A very useful move. Ayame will at first do her normal attack combo then finish it with a backwards jump and kick her opponent (Somersault Kick). The opponent is pushed of his/her feet.Unlock: Rescue the Village Girls

Wall Kick
Jump against a wall (press X and a direction) and press square when you hit the wall. Your character will push him/herself off the wall. If you come to close to an enemy after you pushed yourself off the wall and he/she is not aware of your presence (“?”-mode) he/she will be killed. Is the enemy aware of your presence your attack will be blocked.
Practise it at a wall with no enemies around first. If you have problems timing it, so you can kill an enemy with it use the Chameleon Spell before you use the “Wall Kick”. Even if you miss the enemy, you still have a 2nd and 3rd chance. Of course it is easiest to perform the “Wall Kick” on non-moving characters.
If 2 walls are standing close enough together, you can do the “Wall Kick” multiple times and push off from one wall to the other and so on.Unlock: Retrieve the Jewel of Heaven

Wrath of Heaven
The most powerful special move of all. Simply press X + circle at the same time. Ayame will shoot forward and deal huge damage to the opponent. Every time you do this move your health will be drained down to 1. If you miss your target and are attacked or are attacked before finishing the move you are dead. At the beginning of the move Ayame casts the Kuji-Kiri. You will see the yellow Kuji-cricle appear on the screen. Once this has been done Ayame will shoot straight forward with her weapons. During the casting time of the Kuji-Kiri you are vulnerable to attacks, so it is always a good strategy to combine this move with items that slow or confuse your opponents, such as Smoke Bomb, Tiger Trap or Binding Spell for example.
Ayame can kill multiple enemies with her “Wrath of Heaven” move at once. You can best try that out in Ayame’s mission “Execute the Evil Merchant”. Go to the house with the 3 partying guards and throw a Smoke Bomb. When the guards are confused by the smoke do the “Wrath of Heaven” -move.
This move is useful in all fights. Unfortunately Ayame can’t kill every boss instantly with it. Bosses like Tenrai who have a lot of health for example can’t be killed with it.Unlock: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai A or B